Intel Sets Launch Date for New Core i7 Extreme Processor

Intel Corp. will refresh the family of its high-end desktop (HEDT) central processing units with Core i7-3970X Extreme chip on November 16, 2012, a source with knowledge of the company’s plan told X-bit labs. The new chip will be the fastest desktop offering from Intel for several quarters to come until the chipmaker releases its code-name Ivy Bridge-E products.

Intel Core i7-3970X will have six cores with Hyper-Threading technology, 15MB of cache, quad-channel memory controller and will operate at 3.50GHz with 4GHz maximum turbo frequency. Just like the current top-of-the-range extreme edition microprocessor, the model 3970X will use LGA2011 form-factor, but will have 150W thermal design power, a 20W increase compared to the existing model. The chip will be unveiled on Friday, November 16, 2012, a source familiar with Intel's plans told X-bit labs.

As reported previously, the delay of Intel Corp.'s code-named "Ivy Bridge" microprocessor has apparently caused massive shift in the chipmaker's roadmap. The world's largest chipmaker will not release enthusiast-class "Ivy Bridge-E" central processing unit (CPU) in 2012 and will only unveil such chips in Q3 2013. What is interesting is that Intel’s Ivy Bridge-E/EP microprocessors will contain up to twelve x86 cores, which may result in the increase of core number inside Core Extreme products to eight or even ten.

Given the fact that Intel's enthusiast-class platforms cannot be challenged by its arch-rival Advanced Micro Devices these days, the release of the new Core i7 Extreme chip is rather a formality than an important event for the company.